Method and computer program product for accessing an alternative web page when a desired web page is unavailable

Abstract

A user specifies sets of web browser bookmarks or favorites, which may have topical affinity. Each member of a set is assigned a priority. When the user selects a particular bookmark in a set, or more generally selects the set using an alias such as a folder heading, the web browser attempts to access the particular bookmarked page, or more generally the highest priority web page in the set. If the page is unavailable, the web browser automatically selects the next-highest-priority web page, and attempts to access that page, progressing through the set in this manner by priority until an available web page is found.

1 . A method for accessing an alternative web page when a desired web page is unavailable, said method comprising: 
 attempting to access a first web page specified by a user; and, if the first web page is unavailable, automatically selecting a second web page preassociated by the user with the first web page.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first web page has a first bookmark included in a set of bookmarks specified by the user, and the second web page has a second bookmark included in the set of bookmarks.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first web page is specified by the user through an alias that points to a bookmark in the set of bookmarks.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each bookmark of the set of bookmarks is associated with a priority specified by the user.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second web page is selected according to priorities of the bookmarks.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein priorities of the bookmarks are specified using explicit indicators.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein priorities of the bookmarks are specified using implicit indicators.  
   
   
       8 . A computer program product for accessing an alternative web page when a desired web page is unavailable, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embedded therein, the computer readable program code comprising: 
 computer readable program code configured to attempt to access a first web page specified by a user; and, if the first web page is unavailable, to automatically select a second web page preassociated by the user with the first web page.    
   
   
       9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the first web page has a first bookmark included in a set of bookmarks specified by the user, and the second web page has a second bookmark included in the set of bookmarks.  
   
   
       10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the first web page is specified by the user through an alias that points to a bookmark in the set of bookmarks.  
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein each bookmark of the set of bookmarks is associated with a priority specified by the user.  
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the second web page is selected according to priorities of the bookmarks.  
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein priorities of the bookmarks are specified using explicit indicators.  
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein priorities of the bookmarks are specified using implicit indicators.  
   
   
       15 . A method for loading an alternative web portlet in a web portal when a desired web portlet is unavailable, said method comprising: 
 attempting to load a first web portlet specified by a user into a portal; and, if the first web portlet is unavailable, automatically selecting a second web portlet preassociated by the user with the first web portlet.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first portlet has a URL included in a set of URLs specified by the user, and the second portlet has a second URL included in the set of URLs.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each URL of the set of URLs is associated with a priority specified by the user.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second portlet is selected according to priorities of the URLs.